Air France (AF, Paris CDG) has reached an agreement with its unions over its proposed low-cost Boost project. The Cabin Crew Collective Agreement was signed by representatives of the two major cabin crew unions, UNAC and UNSA, and is valid from September 1, 2017 for a period of five years.
"The Agreement stipulates a minimum objective of hiring 500 cabin crew staff on an indefinite-term contract at Air France over the agreement's duration, and independently of cabin crew hiring for the new airline, which will be carried out elsewhere," an Air France statement said.
A deal over Air France's Boost project was approved by the SNPL pilots' union in March this year. A third cabin crew union, SNPNC-FO, will decide whether it will sign on after it holds a members vote on July 24.
Employees had been wary of the project, concerned that the low-cost carrier would employ staff under exploitative conditions in direct competition with Air France employees.
With these hurdles now cleared, Boost is on track to launch in winter 2017, with the aim to capture new customer segments on ultra-competitive routes, and to take over some of Air France's loss-making flights.
Boost plans to commence operations with six A321-200s, increasing to eleven of the type by summer 2018. It will add A340-300s and A350s in 2018 and 2019. By summer 2021, the mix is expected to be: six A320s, twelve A321s, and ten A350s.
